Venlafaxine (Effexor) experiences?

i owe everything i have in my life to this drug. truly keeps me the most functional, balanced version of myself i didn’t know existed. Perhaps a little emotionally “flat” but i needed some flattening haha. I sometimes feel guilty that I’m on a medication that seems to give me a leg up.

Do not miss doses or get caught without refills. Anything you hear about doing so is likely true.

On the upside It really helped with my depression and suicidal urges. (due to long-term, chronic pain) On the downside, the spins after missing a couple of doses can leave me too dizzy to stand up for days.

i'm one of the people who gets seizures because of effexor 😭 so naturally i have a low opinion of it. it's an incredibly rare side effect (or so i'm told anyway), but it's something to be mindful of

edit: of note is that i regularly consume substances that alter my serotonin levels, so maybe stay off of weed and alcohol to be safe if you're trying venlafaxine!

Best and worst thing to happen to me. Helped massively with my depression and anxiety, especially my anxiety. After being on venlafaxine my anxiety basically disappeared. Downside is it made me have absolutely zero libido which affected my relationship and also, as many have said here, how it makes you feel when you miss a dose.

Coming off them is also something to be mindful of as I'm currently on my second attempt, the first one was so bad I almost went into hospital because of how severe my side effects were.

Be safe on these! They work miracles if you take all doctors advice and don't miss a dose.

It worked wonders on my anxiety but I couldn't wake up in the morning no matter how many alarms I set. Even on the weekend when I'd set my alarm because I wanted to get up and do something right away, I'd sleep through all the alarms and not wake up until 10. And it didn't matter what time I went to bed.

I took it daily for 4 months. My psychiatrist wanted to lessen the sexual side effects, so he switched me to bupropion. On the 3rd day without venlafaxine, my brain started shooting fireworks (that's almost literally how it feels). I'm gradually taking venlafaxine again, trying to leave it more gradually this time.

After years (decades) of wide-ranging MH medication to manage depression & low mood; including a suicide survival & psychotic breaks, and a complete breakdown during COVID as a result of PTSD as a healthcare worker - my MH CV has sadly become pretty extensive. Approximately 18 months ago I started 75mg venlefaxine twice daily - which was difficult, pushing through the electric shocks but I persevered purely because I needed to. I spoke to an occupational health doctor who advised of venalsov XL which is the delayed release, which I switched to 150mg once daily. This was much better but I started to struggle with sleep (unusual for me) I then found information (originally on Reddit!) that advised Mirtazapene as the nighttime counteract to the delayed release venlafaxine. I had been on this before as a sedative during a difficult period, it worked but it’s a strong one!

I suggested this to my GP who agreed to allow me to trial this combination with support and regular reviews- and I have never felt this normal in my whole adult life. It has been 3 months, and I am extremely pleased - I almost feel as though I have been gifted a life back.

There are slight aches and pains which I imagine would be exacerbated in people with fibromyalgia - which is worth bearing in mind. But for me, it is a price I am willing to take and wish I had done this 15 years ago. Very pleased, and highly recommended - ask me again in 12 months for long term advice!

As others have said, it has a very short half life compared to other medications and you’ll know if you miss a dose bc you feel carsick.

That being said, my anxiety responds well to snris so it’s an ok fit. I preferred trintellix (brintellix) but the nhs won’t prescribe it to me. Venlafaxine gets the job done though. I take it before bed, any other time of day I take it I get nightmares. Weird but ok.

It saved my life at my lowest point and was the most powerful drug I've ever been on. I've used pretty much all the main brands at this point. That said, the side effects of Effexor were horrible constipation and if I missed a dose, horrible withdrawals. I had a bad psychiatrist tell me to go off of it cold turkey. NOT RECOMMENDED. Please do not EVER go cold turkey off Effexor, even if a psychiatrist with a degree tells you "it'll suck but you won't die". It's far too aggressive of an approach. I was constantly nauseous, had headaches, and could not work at all. It gradually passed after like 2 months of hell. Sorry, not trying to scare you but this was my experience. On one hand, I'm still here because of it. On the other, I want anyone who is on it to be super careful when they decide to get off of it. Yes, everyone's body reacts differently, but I am just anecdotally offering what could potentially happen.

I had the same experience as safari_eyes. It helped with my depression and suicidal thoughts. But I can tell if I miss even a single dose and it sucks.

My gf takes seizures if she misses her dose

I can't really tell if Venlafaxin is helping me or not but I think it does. It just makes me feel normal. I still have some axiety in different situations but it's managable. Trying to use the tools I got from my therapist when those situations arises.

Tried Venlafaxine for a few months, The initial side effects were wild, but it's been a game-changer for my anxiety.

I felt like taking an SSRI and SNRI were making me flat and I am trying to be LESS FLAT. My therapist said she thinks I should re evaluate the SSRI route but I’m worried about the adhd if I got back on just a SSRI and got off Strattera. Oh well

Terrible for me

I took my first dose of 37.5 mg yesterday morning. When I ate dinner at 6:00 p.m. (I only eat once today)

i've been on the medication for three months and I have to say it has been absolutely life-changing to me! I wake up every day in a much better mood and I haven't needed my panic attack medication for months

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